AT&T Business Internet Review 2023

AT&T Business Internet Editor’s Score: 90/100

Why is AT&T Business Internet Best for Digital Entrepreneurs?

Building a digital brand has become easier in recent years as more people have access to easy tools to build an e-commerce website, social media following, and email subscriber list. As a result, more and more entrepreneurs are looking for an internet service provider that offers fast internet speeds and allows them to create and maintain an online presence. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a small business owner, AT&T’s fiber-optic business internet can provide these conditions and more. Dedicated internet, symmetrical upload and download speeds, and internet backup options are just a few of the many features available through AT&T Business. AT&T’s Dedicated Internet plans allow customers to stay connected on their own secure internet line while experiencing the fastest internet speeds possible.

did you know?: AT&T has been ranked number one in customer satisfaction by JD Power for five years in a row with its large enterprise cable service.

Pros

• Upload and download speeds are symmetrical.
• AT&T offers proactive network monitoring.
• AT&T’s dedicated internet has close to 100% uptime.

Cons

• Fiber internet is usually only available in select areas.
• Plans can be expensive for gigabit speed internet.

AT&T Business Internet Features

Symmetrical Upload and Download Speeds

Most ISPs promote fast download speeds in their packages and deals, but also offer slower download speeds. We like that AT&T offers symmetrical internet speed, which means upload speed and upload speed are the same. For example, a business internet package that promises download speeds of up to 300 Mbps also includes download speeds of up to 300 Mbps.

Symmetric upload and download speeds have many advantages, especially for small business owners who operate from home. Business customers can handle large data transfers, hold voice over IP (VoIP) meetings, and even multitask during web conferencing for seamless productivity.

Private Internet

For businesses running their own servers, AT&T offers its Dedicated Internet plan as an all-in-one service with near 100% uptime using a single unshared connection. With symmetrical upload and download speeds between 10 Mbps and 1 Tbps, small business owners or sole proprietors can surf the web uninterrupted.

With a wide variety of upload and download speeds offered, AT&T Dedicated Internet can expand as your business grows. For example, a one-person business might start with a 10 Mbps plan and upgrade to higher speeds as more employees are hired and additional resources are required.

No Annual Contract

We like that AT&T Business companies don’t have an annual contract. Instead, you have a choice of month-to-month or usage-based plans. If businesses experience unexpected rapid growth or need to change their plans quickly, they will only have to wait until the next month before doing so. This was not the case with most of the other business internet providers we reviewed.

Internet backup

It’s easy to transfer data digitally these days, but sometimes servers experience unexpected downtime. Services such as maintenance and heavy traffic can reduce internet speed by sharing the internet through connections or private internet. Fortunately, both AT&T Dedicated Internet and AT&T Business Fiber have backup options for an additional monthly fee.

An AT&T Wireless Broadband plan can also act as a backup internet option. While Dedicated Internet and Business Fiber includes a backup router with 12-24 hours of battery backup, customers can choose to use AT&T Wireless Broadband as either the primary connection or a secondary backup option. We found it especially useful for businesses that sell their products online.

24/7 Proactive Network Monitoring

Dedicated Internet and Business Fiber plan customers have access to 24/7 proactive network monitoring, a service we like for its focus on cybersecurity. In the event of a server outage, a team of AT&T Business experts can submit service tickets on behalf of the business and closely monitor server activity. This service is included with Dedicated Internet and Business Fiber plans in addition to the 24/7 customer support offered on all plans.

Static IP addresses

Dedicated Internet and Business Fiber plans provide business customers with static IP addresses. This is ideal for a company that owns its own website or needs to provide remote internet access for employees, as it is easier to monitor activity from a fixed network than from a dynamic IP.

AT&T Business Internet Charges

AT&T offers the following business internet plans:

• AT&T Dedicated Internet: This is a prioritized connection plan that allows businesses to handle even heavy internet traffic.
• AT&T Business Fiber: It’s an ultra-fast and reliable plan that offers gigabit speeds without an annual contract.
• AT&T Wireless Broadband: This plan is an efficient business internet solution that can get businesses up and running quickly.
  

AT&T Dedicated Internet pricing is not available online because it depends on specific business needs, so you’ll need to contact your sales representative for a specific quote. AT&T considers factors such as business size and location when determining the final cost of a Dedicated Internet plan.

There is an option for AT&T Enterprise aimed at larger businesses. You can contact the AT&T support team to determine if this type of plan is right for your company.

AT&T Business Internet Setup

All of AT&T’s Business Internet plans include setup and a choice of modem or gateway. AT&T Wireless Broadband specifically requires a hotspot or router. Unfortunately, you can’t use your own router or modem with AT&T business internet, but AT&T does offer its own routers and recommends purchasing them for optimal performance.

You can expect AT&T business internet to be installed in up to 10 days. For all plans, a specialist will install the necessary equipment to get your business up and running as quickly as possible. Once Internet is set up and installed, customers can access the AT&T Business Direct portal to manage their services and pay their monthly bills.

AT&T Business Internet Customer Service

Business experts from AT&T are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time. If you have questions outside of AT&T’s support hours, the company offers an automated chat feature that is available 24/7 and can answer basic questions you may have and direct you to resources on the website. After testing the live chat feature, we found that many questions required an account login, which could discourage new customers from using it and instead wait for customer service over the phone.

AT&T Business has a full support page dedicated to answering the most frequently asked questions. However, business customers with questions about their specific plans can contact AT&T’s business internet customer service team by phone and post questions in an online community forum. In addition, customers can contact a Business Solutions specialist through an online form.

AT&T Business Internet Outages

Although fiber internet provides the fastest upload and download speeds on the market, it also has some drawbacks. For example, fiber internet is expensive compared to cable and satellite internet, especially as customers try to use gigabit internet as their primary business internet option.

If price is a concern, customers can consider using a low-end internet option that offers fast internet speeds at a fraction of the cost of higher-end plans. However, AT&T’s prices are still higher than those of other business internet services that offer wired internet connections. Check out our Spectrum review or our Verizon review for more affordable services.

Another limitation is that AT&T Business Internet may not be available where your business is located. Fiber internet usually has more limited availability than cable or satellite internet. Businesses that need to perform large data transfers or connect to high-speed Internet should be located in selected areas. If your business is located in an area with limited internet connectivity, read our Viasat review for an option available even in rural areas.

Methodology

When reviewing business internet providers, we looked at some of the features that business owners will need to run their business from start to finish. Part of this process includes doing extensive research, calling ISPs, and finally deciding on a use case for each vendor we choose. In doing this, we took into account factors such as installation times, internet speed, business phone services and internet availability. For digital entrepreneurs, we’ve chosen AT&T as the ideal business internet provider.

AT&T Business Internet Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between AT&T Dedicated Internet and AT&T Business Fiber?

AT&T Dedicated Internet exclusively provides fast and reliable connectivity for individual businesses. AT&T Business Fiber offers gigabit internet speeds using a shared internet connection. Both AT&T Dedicated Internet and Business Fiber are actively monitored and supported 24/7 by a team of AT&T Business customer service experts.

Am I eligible to use AT&T business internet?

AT&T’s business internet is only available in select areas due to the nature of fiber internet. Customers can contact AT&T directly if they want service in a non-fiber area.

What costs and fees should I consider when using AT&T business Internet?

Costs and fees will vary depending on the business plan you choose, but costs applicable to all plans may include setup and hardware fees.

Is AT&T Internet Backup available for all business plans?

Both AT&T Dedicated Internet and AT&T Business Fiber come with Internet Backup, which consists of a backup router that provides businesses with 12-24 hours of power to keep business running until the primary connection is back online. Customers who choose AT&T Wireless Broadband can use it as both a primary connection and a backup connection in case of an outage.

Total cost

We recommend AT&T business internet…

• Digital entrepreneurs who use online marketing as their main business tool.
• Small business owners looking to expand their business.
• Business owners who want fast internet speeds.

we don’t do it Recommend AT&T business internet…

• Small brick and mortar businesses.
• Business owners who are just starting out and don’t need super fast internet speed right from the start.
• Enterprises in rural areas or other locations with limited connectivity.